This isn't about trades. Branch and Jones are free agents, they could both walk or they could both stay. Melton is a free agent after this season and the Bears are pretty hard against the cap and have a lot of players coming up. They may tag him, but if they don't, the question becomes "is he worth persuing over keeping the two players previously mentioned".

"We don't even need your stupid a-- that much. We can win Super Bowls with retired Kerry f------- Collins right now, and you want to be the highest paid player of all-time? F--- you." - Tical21 to Russell Wilson, 6/30/15

Starks isn't their 1 tech. He weighs 305. The Pacific Islander dude (not even gonna try to spell his name) that weighs 345 lbs is their 1 tech.

He's a good run stopper, and I know he's their 3 tech, but I don't know enough about him to say whether he's better than Jones is.

If we keep Jones, it'll be reasonable. He didn't put up good enough numbers to get a big paycheck this year. I'd be totally fine with Melton, he's a stud. Not sure we can fit him in our cap though....next year looks good but we're going to have to start spending money to keep our good defenders soonish.

I personally would much prefer spending 8-10 sheets a year on Melton rather than say roughly 4/5 each on Jones and Branch. Kid seems legit and starting get into his prime and would scratch a early need off our draft list.

Unfortunately think there is no way Melton his the market, Bears will probably franchise him if need be.

SacHawk2.0 wrote:Yeah, but Starks is 29 and is more of a 1-tech is he not? Doesn't quite vibe with the youth movement and need for an every down 3-tech.

Melton is 25-26? very productive and plays one of the few positions on our defense that could use an upgrade.

Starks turns 29 on Friday, so he'll play almost the whole of next season before reaching 30. It's not too old IMO and certainly not every player on this roster has to be what we'd constitute as 'young'.

He's definitely a three-tech. 22 sacks in five seasons in Miami with three games to go still this year. Plays the run especially well, but also adept at collapsing the pocket. Ideal signing for me at the right price. He'd upgrade the base defense. Carroll name checked him before and after the Dolphins game if memory serves me correctly.

Dockett is 32 next season and only has 1.5 sacks this year. He might just be done. He also made the news recently for blasting his coach. I honestly don't care that he submission choked Hasselbeck a few years ago, actually that kind of made me like him more. I like nasty SOBs on my team, so long as they aren't getting flags for it (if he doesn't make the roster then the team loses almost no money). I'd be happy to see Seattle give him a 1 year $1 mil deal and see what he's got left. It's possible that this was a down year for him (pretty unlikely), but it's a gamble worth taking at the right price.

kearly wrote:Campbell is a stud, but he signed a long extension last offseason.

Dockett is 32 next season and only has 1.5 sacks this year. He might just be done. He also made the news recently for blasting his coach. I honestly don't care that he submission choked Hasselbeck a few years ago, actually that kind of made me like him more. I like nasty SOBs on my team, so long as they aren't getting flags for it (if he doesn't make the roster then the team loses almost no money). I'd be happy to see Seattle give him a 1 year $1 mil deal and see what he's got left. It's possible that this was a down year for him (pretty unlikely), but it's a gamble worth taking at the right price.

On All Access, Darnell was complimenting Russell Wilson on his game which kind of surprised me. Especially after a 58-0 butt whupping. I think he's got a year or two left and would love to give him a shot in preseason. Like you said though, his production is down on what has been a very good Cardinal defense this year. I have no idea whether it's by design and he's doing all the dirty work, or if he's worn down. It just seems like he's always been disruptive and I'd like to see what he's left in the tank.

I'd be open to it if it happened... but that's going to cost serious $$$$.

As for Dockett (I noticed others talking about him) he's talked about needing to feel wanted recently but the guy isn't an UFA until 2016. His cap hit for the next three years is $7.7m, $8.75m and $9.8m. So I'm not sure how he ends up in Seattle any time soon.

I'd be open to it if it happened... but that's going to cost serious $$$$.

As for Dockett (I noticed others talking about him) he's talked about needing to feel wanted recently but the guy isn't an UFA until 2016. His cap hit for the next three years is $7.7m, $8.75m and $9.8m. So I'm not sure how he ends up in Seattle any time soon.

You might have just answered your own question. Teams don't tend to keep players fresh off a 1.5 sack season making $26 million over their age 32-34 seasons. The fact that he flamed Whisenhunt pretty much seals it.

Either one of two things will happen this offseason. The first is that Arizona cleans house and starts over. If there is a new regime, there is no way that Dockett would be a part of their plan going forward and I doubt he'd have any trade value on that contract.

The other possibility is that they give Whisenhunt another season (which only Bidwell is capable of), and in that scenario I think Whisenhunt pretty much has to get rid of Dockett because Dockett has strongly indicated that he doesn't want to play for his team/coach anymore.